In the age of so-called peak TV, when the number of TV shows stretched across broadcast, cable and streaming platforms soars past 400 annually, it’s hard to wade through the flood of viewing options.

But with half the year behind us and heat indexes pushing the thermometer into the triple digits, summer is the perfect time to crank up the AC and watch some TV.

To help you out, here are the 10 best TV shows (in my humble opinion) to air in the first six months of 2016.

What will the rest of the year will bring? Who knows!

So it’s best to catch up on these NOW!

American Crime

No drama on TV today, or even in recent memory, weaved a more delicately complex, hard-hitting and compelling narrative than the second season of ABC’s anthology series “American Crime.” Depicting the often-unaddressed issue of male rape, creator John Ridley and his insanely talented cast (Connor Jessup, Joey Pollari and Lilli Taylor are standouts) brought to life a timely story of privilege, sexual orientation, race and gun violence that should be required viewing. Its story is more than that of two young men coming to terms with who they are, though its handling of their storylines is unprecedented in its honesty. It’s also a bold deconstruction of a society grappling with its own prejudices and moral compass.

Bates Motel

Perhaps one of the greatest injustices in Hollywood today is that Vera Farmiga does not have a Emmy for A+E’s “Bates Motel.” And after this season — the show’s undeniable best — her continued snub is downright criminal. In season four’s penultimate episode, titled “Forever,” the “Psycho” prequel accepted its destiny and brought Norma and Norman Bates’ mother-son relationship to a head. While not unfathomable to anyone who knows the source material, it was, nonetheless, a shocking turn of events, largely due to the show’s declared willingness to chart its own course and the immense empathy Farmiga has cultivated for Norma. Dropping the dead weight of its excess story baggage, the show entered into its fourth season solely focused on its main characters, giving Farmiga and Freddie Highmore time to try and mend their characters’ fractured relationship — and Norman’s warped mind. I think you know how it turned out. With just 10 episodes left in the series, set to air in 2017, Norman Bates’ story is reaching its climax. But season four will forever be the show’s crescendo.

Casual

Families comedies are a dime a dozen these days. But Hulu’s dark indie comedy “Casual” is rebelling against the concept. Now in its second season, the show’s “family unit” is a playboy dating-app designer, his recently divorced sister and her teenage daughter — all crammed into one house. They clash, they bond and they rely on each other more than they probably should because this trio isn’t the friendliest bunch, nor are they the most functional. As they try to connect with other people (be they friends or love interests), they find themselves open and exposed to heartbreak, awkward encounters (episode 2’s dinner party, for instance) and possibly even something meaningful. “Casual” is just that — a low-key, genuine look at the complexities of adulthood in modern society. It’s not pretty or easy, and this show isn’t afraid to prove it.

Full Frontal with Samantha Bee

When former “Daily Show” correspondent Samantha Bee took the helm of her own TBS political satire news program, she did so as the only female host in late-night television. In the months since premiering, Bee and her brisk once-a-week dose of hard truths — hence the “Full Frontal” title — have blown past her male counterparts to become the sharpest, most unapologetic and necessary half-hour in late night. Each week, Bee delivers commentary on news above and below the fold with insight and high-energy — if you haven’t watched her appropriately angry response to the Orlando shootings, do so immediately. (I’ll wait.) Bee so frequently skewers her targets with expertly delivered monologues it’s hard not to feel the heat she’s bringing come right through the TV. She is with us at least through the election in November and we couldn’t be more grateful.

Games of Thrones

As the most talked about show in all the land — and Westeros, of course — inevitably barrels towards its end (over the course of two more seasons), the many threads of “Game of Thrones” must tighten and converge to bring its epic story to a close. That process began in the show’s thrilling just-wrapped sixth season. End games were set in motion as a queen set sail with her army, a king took control and another queen saw her city go up in flames — a tragedy she herself orchestrated that ultimately snatched her the Iron Throne. Even after six seasons, the show continues to redefine the boundaries of television. And yes, the dragons are still awesome.

Orange is the New Black

The women of Litchfield were no doubt put through the ringer in the first three seasons of “Orange is the New Black” — one of Netflix’s pioneering series. But it all paled in comparison to season four (the best yet) when the prison, at first besieged by a brewing war between races and cliches, found it’s many personalities becoming a unified force against a new crop of brutal guards. This season truly had it all: a poignant nod to the Black Lives Matter movement, a greenhouse murder, a band of neo-Nazis, a heartbreaking look at mental illness (portrayed by a stellar Lori Petty) and a Martha Stewart-type prisoner fond of threesomes and blackmail. It all culminated in a tragic two-episode finale that pushed the prison and its inmates to their limits, leaving the show with the gun cocked and ready — quite literally — for season five.

The People V. OJ Simpson: American Crime Story

Who saw this coming? A dramatic retelling of the most famous murder trial in modern American history that not only captures its immeasurable impact on race, law enforcement and fame, but also deepens the understanding of the trial’s importance to even those who lived through it. “The People V. OJ Simpson” was outstanding television that, even with its cast doused in appropriate 90s garb, felt fresh and found parallels between then and now. Much of its success is due to the cast, led by Sarah Paulson’s deeply sympathetic portrayal of prosecutor Marcia Clark (episode six, “Marcia, Marcia, Marcia,” is the series’ high point) and Courtney B. Vance as Johnnie Cochran, Simpson’s defense attorney. The show brazenly alternated between courtroom drama, romantic interlude and Hollywood satire — all while managing to serve each with due diligence. Like the media circus that captured every second of the “Trial of the Century,” it was hard to look away from “The People V. OJ Simpson.”

(Bonus entry: Where “The People V. OJ Simpson” spent its time unpacking the trial, television’s other 10-hour deconstruction of the man known as Juice, ESPN’s five-part “OJ: Made in America,” did something a little different. Taking OJ’s story from birth through his storied football career, lavish life as a celebrity and ultimate status as the poster boy of downfall, the thoughtful and captivating documentary juxtaposed him with the volatile relationship between the Los Angeles Police Department and the black community that ultimately played a vital role in his acquittal. It’s a powerful story to say the least.)

Roots

Unlike most of the films and series in Hollywood’s arsenal, “Roots” is a story that deserved to be retold. The original 1977 miniseries was the definition of groundbreaking TV, and while this year’s History channel remake didn’t count 100 million Americans among its viewership, it achieved an arguably greater feat – gracefully and truthfully retelling an essential story in American history many thought they knew with more a refined depth and emotional impact. The cast assembled for this eight-hour, four-night epic was impressive, with newcomers Malachi Kirby and Regé-Jean Page bringing new life to the roles of culturally devout Kunta Kinte and his optimistic-but-torn grandson, Chicken George, respectively. This “Roots” for a new generation was well directed, visually stunning, incredibly well acted and, most importantly, hit every devastating and triumphant note with equal force.

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

In season one, Netflix’s bubbly heroine Kimmy Schmidt was a ray of unencumbered sunlight looking to find her place in the world after spending 15 years in a bunker below it. But in its sophomore year, creators Tina Fey and Robert Carlock did something surprising and ultimately revelatory for “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” — they let her sunlight dim a little as she searched for her long absent mother. Over the course of the season, Ellie Kemper brought complexity and a little cynicism to her alter ego, who was better for it. And it wasn’t just Kimmy who got to mature. Tituss, her roommate with a flare for the dramatic one-liner, entered into a healthy adult relationship (and all that comes with it), and her former boss, Jacqueline, fought her way back to the top, only to find she was fine leading a somewhat less ritzy life. Females may be “strong as hell,” but so is this show.

Veep

“Veep,” put simply, is the best comedy currently on TV — a fact never more evident than in its fifth season, which saw Selina Meyer (Juila Louis-Dreyfus) lose her tight grip on the presidency to a tied election and ultimate Senate vote. After witnessing her accidental ascension over the past five seasons, it’s hard not to feel a wave of grief for Meyer and her merry band of staff members — a group so profane, opportunistic and shallow it’s hard to believe how much we’re going to miss them running the country. Despite a new showrunner taking the reins this year, the show retained and arguably sharpened its already razor-sharp wit and political bite while dismantling it’s own foundation for season six. It was ambitious, hilarious and a wonderfully zany companion to the nation’s real-life ongoing circus… I mean, election.

Totally agree with the review for above for Bates Motel. Love it! Would not go so far as saying it is one of the greatest injustices in Hollywood today that Vera Farmiga does not have a Emmy for Bates Motel – but it is fantastic. I do relate to the premise of empathy with regards to Farmiga – and Norman’s warped mind. Brilliant!